Thursday, September 29, 2011

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has been told that he must decide himself whether he is ready to start a Premier League game.

The England international could return at the weekend in time for a derby day clash against Everton after coming on in the last two Liverpool games against Brighton and Wolverhampton.

Liverpool have had a mixed start to the season and currently find themselves in fifth place with manager Kenny Dalglish hoping to push for a top four finish and Champions League football.

Fans certainly want the inspirational midfielder to return as soon as possible but Dalglish's number two Steve Clarke has declared that Gerrard will have the final say.

"Steven himself will dictate the pace of his comeback with how he progresses in training," said Clarke. "We're delighted with the stage he's at. We're delighted with everything he's done for us.

"It was one of those games on Saturday where towards the end you're looking to make a change, but you don't want to make it and disrupt your team because we had decent control of the game. We could maybe have got Steven on a little bit earlier, but it didn't work out that way.

Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique is pleased with the start he has made to his Reds career but claims there is room for improvement.

The Spanish star joined the club from Newcastle in the summer and he has had an impressive start but is targeting champions League place and a spot in the Spanish squad for the Euro 2012 finals and knows he will have to improve to try and achieve that.

"To get the fans with you, you have to play well," Enrique said. "At the moment I think I've done well but I can do better.

"I have to improve of course. Sometimes I think about my mistakes and I want to kick myself.

"I'm like every person - I know when I've done good things and I know when I've done bad things. In football it's the same. I always think about my mistakes.

"I watch videos of other left-backs. I like Ashley Cole a lot - I think he's one of the best left-backs in the world.

"Others too, like Marcelo.

"I think if I keep improving I can be there (with Spain). I haven't gone yet because it's really hard to go - we won the last World Cup and the last European Championships, but I hope in the future I can be there.

"When I signed here I wanted to play Champions League football with this club and also to try and go to the national team.

"If I go I'll be happy but for me the national team is an extra. It's important but for me it's my club first."

Charlie Adam struggled to focus on his career after missing out on a January transfer to Liverpool and is therefore grateful to have eventually secured his dream move to Anfield.

The Scotland international left Blackpool this summer to join Kenny Dalglish's remodelled squad having previously been a target in the winter window, when his former club refused to sell.

Tottenham also made an attempt to sign Adam in January, but the midfielder only wanted to sign for Liverpool and, ahead of this weekend's Merseyside derby, he is relishing the opportunity.

Speaking on a podcast for fanzine, The Liverpool Way, Adam said: "When the January window passed I never thought it would come back again.

"I never heard anything for the rest of the season and thought that was it. I was just concentrating on Blackpool, but fortunately Kenny Dalglish gave me the opportunity to sign in the summer.

"The first I knew it could happen again was when the bids came in and I told the chairman Liverpool was the only club I was interested in. Fortunately he did the deal with Damien (Comolli) to let me join the club."

He added: "I had to get my head around the fact I was not a Liverpool player, I was still a Blackpool player. That was tough.

"I am not going to lie about it. It was tough for a few weeks after that too. One thing I was never going to hide was the fact I wanted to join Liverpool.

"Once the opportunity was there it was an honour for me to be even linked with the club. When the manager and chairman made the decision I could not leave in January I respected that.

"I knew my staying could have helped Blackpool stay in the league, but when you reach a stage of your career where there is a chance to play at a higher level, you know you might not get it again and want to grab it with both hands."

Sven Goran Eriksson is ready to offer Leicester City's teenage wonderkid Jeffrey Schlupp a new deal in a bid to scare off interest from Stoke and Liverpool reports the Daily Mirror.

The German U19 international has been in impressive form for the Foxes this season, with four goals to his name already attracting attention from a number of Barclays Premier League scouts.

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli is a known admirer of up-and-coming talent, and is believed to have cast his eye over Schlupp with a view to a potential move to Anfield.

However Reds boss Kenny Dalglish could face competition for his signature from the Potters, as Tony Pulis continues to look for ways to strengthen his Britannia Stadium squad.

"There is no doubt that Jeffrey has a great future ahead of him," said Eriksson. "He is a fantastic talent and he is just getting better and better.

"This season he is even stronger, more confident. He has a little bit of everything. He is strong, has good technique, a good left foot and is not afraid to fight in the air for the ball."

Schlupp only signed a new contract at the King Power Stadium in April, but the Leicester boss is pushing for the player to be offered a bumper pay-rise before Liverpool or Stoke step up their interest.

Malaga are preparing an offer for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in what is being reported as an offer too good to refuse for the Merseyside giants.

Malaga have a new rich owner who is beginning to pump serious money in to the club and Manuel Pellegrini, the Malaga manager, has been told that he can go out and bring in almost any player he wants and he has apparently marked the Liverpool keeper as his first choice for the position between the posts.

Reina still has a good few years left in him at the top and his regarded as a high quality keeper, Liverpool will be loathe to lose the 29 year old but it all depends on the offer and with £20 Million being touted around Spanish radio, then yes, that is far too good to refuse.

Malaga are ready to spend some serious money to try and compete with the big boys in Spain and have seen the Man City model, paying over the odds and crazy wages, catapult the Manchester side in to the Champions League and are set to embark on the same crazy route, despite Uefa’s new financial rules.

Liverpool Football Club today signed a unique partnership with Liverpool City Council to help ready young people in the north of the city for future careers.

Reds Managing Director and Cllr Joe Anderson, leader of the city council, launched the joint venture at Melwood on Wednesday morning.

It will see Liverpool and its foundation support the council's drive to provide opportunities for young people in training, education and other related initiatives taking place in the community.

Ayre said: "Through our foundation, we support young people throughout Liverpool every day and we are delighted to create this new partnership with Liverpool City Council.

"Young people are the future of our city and by working closely with agencies and the local communities collectively this partnership will help them achieve their goals."

The first initiative the partnership will run is the Youth Ambassador program.

The scheme will provide 50 young people aged 16-19 who live in north Liverpool the opportunity to act as city ambassadors on Reds matchdays.

They will promote the city to visiting football supporters, support the delivery of youth activities through LFC's foundation, and promote the positive role young people can play in the north Liverpool communities.

In addition, the youngsters will receive a program of training from the club's foundation that will support their future employment prospects.

Cllr Anderson said: "Liverpool City Council will always ensure that young people are at the heart of the regeneration of this city.

"This partnership with Liverpool FC is a great example of how investing in today's youth can bring massive benefits to our communities for years to come."

Ann O'Byrne, Cabinet member Housing and Community Safety, added: "During these difficult economic times it is even more important that we work in partnership with other organizations to develop opportunities for the young people of Liverpool.

"I'm really pleased and excited by this partnership which will bring together both organizations' shared values and strengths to deliver and support the delivery of youth provision that the young people in north Liverpool want."